I'm just back from a great few days in the South African Capital of Fun, Johannesburg. Some people question what there is to do there, but there's lots, if you know where to look!
Had a good couple of days at CASNET, where I learnt far more than I really wanted to about child abuse in a Child Protection Workshop, for one thing.The usual hotel where we stayed has recently been awarded some kind of tourism award recently. So you'd think they'd have done away with such insults to la cucina italiana as 'Pasta Hawaii' - penne, carrots, pineapple baked in a white sauce with cheese on top. Any self-respecting Italian in the vicinity would have stormed the kitchens in protest. 'Weird' doesn't really sum it up right. 'Wrong' might be a better description!
In any case, Allet flew up and joined me and our little blue boy-racer VW Chico on Friday evening. I'd picked up the car earlier in the day and driven close by to the airport to East Rand Mall. When I tried to remove key from ignition an alarm went off and I couldn't work out why. After a 10 minute phone call to Avis careline, and conversations with VW experts, the nice man on the other end of the phone pointed out to me that I'd left my lights on... Doh! (It had been a looooong week)
In any case, Allet flew up and joined me and our little blue boy-racer VW Chico on Friday evening. I'd picked up the car earlier in the day and driven close by to the airport to East Rand Mall. When I tried to remove key from ignition an alarm went off and I couldn't work out why. After a 10 minute phone call to Avis careline, and conversations with VW experts, the nice man on the other end of the phone pointed out to me that I'd left my lights on... Doh! (It had been a looooong week)
Saturday late morning and we were in the middle of 4 lanes of crazy traffic leaving the CBD (Central Business District) with combi-taxis weaving in and out. (We were reminded later that there are major taxi wars going on at the moment, with shoot outs and all the rest - thankfully no-one was in a violent mood on Saturday!) And this is why... it was the Gauteng Carnival in Newtown. And there were many many police on patrol. Possibly the safest place to be on a Saturday afternoon... In any case, we had a mooch round at the entertainment and then popped into MuseuMAfrica for some more culture.
The Museum is massive, and we only managed a bit before needing lunch. We informed ourselves about the 'Tried for Treason' trials of the late 1950's. Crazy times, in a land then plagued by Apartheid, the state still tried people of all tribes and colours for so-called crimes against the state. Perhaps these events alerted the rest of the world to some of the troubles SA was facing.. It was a fascinating exhibition, with a lot of photos and newspaper cuttings of the time.We also managed to fit in a musical styles of Africa exhibition, settlements and shebeens section and a whole load of photos on Ghandi, who was quite prominent in S.Africa at one point.
A couple of shopping malls later, and a quick trip to an African craft market to get hassled by the traders and we headed to the Victory Theatre to see a show called 'Africa Umoja'. This show was in the West End of London for 2 years from 2001 so maybe some people have seen it, but it was great. It was a kind of history of the musical styles of SA from the stomping and drumming to the very new kwaito movement. The show was amazing and very entertaining. It's moving to Durban soon so might manage to persuade some of the YZWs to come along for the show too...
On Sunday, we went to Rhema Church again. Great preaching, great worship. (and am reminded I still need to update on the wonderful things that happened last time I went!)
Then we went to Sandton City and Nelson Mandela Square, which boasts probably the biggest statue of Madiba in the world! After lunch at Monte Casino (which seems to be a huge indoor Italian town filmset!) it was time to head back to the airport and down to rainy KZN.
What a weekend! It was busy but fun. It was fantastic to stay with my friends up there and to spend some time catching up with them. Another busy week awaits so it was good to be refreshed!
